Vander cursed. “They aren’t fucking around. They’re dangerous, and you need help.”
“I have a security team—”
“We both know you have excellent corporate security, but you need someone with a different skill set.” Vander paused. “I can’t get away right now, but I know a guy. He’s former Ghost Ops. A bit of a loner who lives up in Vermont. He’s good in a fight, and he owes me a favor.”
Liam looked at Aspen. He wanted her safe. “Okay. Call him. Now, the warehouse?”
“You said Nexus punched holes in the oldest part of the warehouse,” Vander said. “So, I had Ace take the searches back further.”
“You got a hit,” Aspen said.
“Hi, Aspen. Yes, we did. The warehouse is linked to a prohibition gangster by the name of Dutch Schultz, born Arthur Simon Flegenheimer in 1901.”
Liam frowned. “That rings a bell.”
“The guy started out as a bouncer, but his brutal reputation got him a promotion. He ended up a partner with the local mobster in the Bronx. They expanded their bootlegging and speakeasy empire.”
“We already guessed someone used that warehouse to store bootlegged beer,” Aspen said.
“Right. But I don’t think this has anything to do with bootlegging,” Vander continued. “Schultz was also known for his lost treasure.”
Liam stiffened. “Lost treasure?”
“At the end of his life, he was being heavily pursued by the authorities. Afraid he was going to get locked up, he apparently commissioned the construction of a special airtight and waterproof lockbox. It’s said Schultz put seven million dollars in cash, bonds, coins, and diamonds in it.”
Aspen frowned. “Seven million in the 1930s would be worth…?”
“Over a hundred and thirty million dollars today,” Vander finished.
Liam frowned. “Why not just blackmail me for a hundred and thirty million dollars?”
“That’s a big lump of money,” Vander said. “They might think you’d hunt them down.”
“But losing a few million in property, you might shrug that off,” Aspen said.
Mmm, something still felt off about this.
“Supposedly, legend says that Schultz buried the treasure somewhere in the woods of rural upstate New York,” Vander said. “Treasure hunters look for it out there, but no one’s ever found anything.”
“You think it’s in the warehouse?” Aspen said.
“I think Nexus believes that,” Vander said.
Shit.
“And if Nexus had the deed to the land, anything found there would legally belong to them,” Aspen said.
Liam stroked his chin. “Nexus isn’t the type to take a gamble on a lost treasure.”
Aspen nodded. “They know something.”
“My man Rome suggested you contact some people he knows in Denver,” Vander said. “Declan Ward is a former Navy SEAL, and along with his brother and sister, they run Treasure Hunter Security. It’s an outfit that provide security for digs, expeditions, that kind of thing. Darcy Ward is also engaged to an FBI agent who is part of the Art Crime Team. They might be able to shed some more light on this.”
“Okay,” Liam said.
“I’ll set up a call for later today.”
“Thanks, Vander.”
“And expect a visit from Boone. He’s a good guy, just a bit antisocial.”
After Liam ended the call, he kissed Aspen’s nose. “So, we might have a gangster treasure involved?”
She shook her head. “Nothing would surprise me at this point.”
“Get in the shower. I’ll make you some breakfast.”
“And I need to stop by my place to get fresh clothes.”
While she was in the shower, Liam made French toast. She came out in one of his shirts and her pants from the night before.
Her eyes widened. “French toast?”
He’d topped it with fresh raspberries and cream.
She dug in and let out a long moan. “This is so good. Will you marry me?”
He sipped his coffee and watched color fill her cheeks. “Yes.”
She choked, and grabbed her glass of juice and drank a long gulp.
Liam found he liked the idea of Aspen Chandler in his life long-term.
She eyed him warily. “I… Um… I wasn’t really asking.”
He let his smile widen. “I’d be happy if you just moved in for a while, first.”
Her green eyes went wide. “You’re just messing with me, right?”
He rested his elbows on the island and leaned over and kissed her nose. “You’re the crack PI, what do you think?”
“I think I’m going to eat the rest of this fabulous French toast and ignore you.”
He let her off. For now.
But once this thing with Nexus was over and Jake Knox was home safely, Liam decided she was moving in. He’d need a strategic plan to convince her.
“I’ll shower and change. We’ll stop by your place, get to the office, and then talk to this FBI agent and the Treasure Hunter Security people.”
Aspen
On the way to the office, I sent Erica an update. I really wished I had time to see her, reassure her, but the deadline Doyle had given me was ticking down in my head.
The best thing I could do for Erica was bring Jake home.
I’d seen my sisters for thirty seconds when I’d raced home to change. They’d peppered me with questions through my bedroom door—where had I been, who did I spend the night with, and was the sex good?
The sex was mind-scrambling, tingle-inducing good.
Anyway, I’d escaped Juno and Briar as fast as I could. If they ever got wind of Liam, they’d lose their minds.
The office was quiet, although despite it being Saturday, there were a few enterprising people at their desks. The steely-eyed Eleanor looked just as polished as always. When Liam told her that he needed me for a special project, I could tell the woman wasn’t buying our cover story.
Well, I couldn’t exactly tell her it wasn’t personal. Since the man had made me come—well, I’d lost count of how many times exactly.
No, this was really personal.
We settled in his office and Liam had gotten onto his first call. He was talking with someone in London, and I found it sexy that his British accent deepened as he talked.
Right now, he stood in profile to me, pacing a little as he talked. So handsome and sexy.
For a little while, I would take what he gave me. Maybe if I made enough memories with him, they’d sustain me when he walked out of my life.
Men like Liam Kensington could have anything and anyone. Liam and I were sharing the same orbit right now, but I hardly belonged in his space, breathing his air.
This thing would flare out, then he’d realize that I wasn’t polished or sophisticated, and that I wasn’t that intriguing after all, and he’d walk away.
And I was starting to suspect that I’d be left with a battered heart afterward.
The man was under my skin, and burrowing deeper every minute.
“Aspen?”
I looked up. He was watching me carefully.
“We have a call in twenty minutes with the Treasure Hunter Security guys.”